Adjustable hanger bar assembly

ABSTRACT

A hanger bar assembly comprises a first hanger bar, a second hanger bar, and a hanger bar holder. The first hanger bar and the second hanger bar are mechanically coupled where the first hanger bar slides relative to the second hang bar in a telescopic manner. The first hanger bar and the second hanger bar both include an interlocking structure that interlocks the first hanger bar with the second hanger bar, reducing lateral movement, such as backlash or slop. The hanger bar holder is used to hold at least one of the first hanger bar or the second hanger bar. The hanger bar holder includes a first section to guide at least the first hanger bar and a second section to guide at least the second hanger bar. The first section and the second section also constrain lateral movement of the first hanger bar and the second hanger bar, respectively.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION(S)

This application is a Continuation (CON) of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/886,365, filed May 28, 2020, entitled “ADJUSTABLE HANGER BAR ASSEMBLY,” which, in turn, is a Bypass Continuation Application of International Application PCT/US2018/062868, filed Nov. 28, 2018, entitled “ADJUSTABLE HANGER BAR ASSEMBLY,” which, in turn, claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/591,594, filed Nov. 28, 2017, entitled “ADJUSTABLE HANGER BAR ASSEMBLY FOR LIGHTING APPARATUS.” Each of the aforementioned applications is incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Recessed lighting systems are typically installed or mounted into an opening in a ceiling or a wall. Modern recessed lighting systems generally consist of a trim, a light source module, a driver circuit, a junction box, and a set of hanger bars. The driver is insulated from other portions and components of the recessed lighting system, including the light source module, through the use of insulation provided by the junction box while the light source module is housed therein. The driver is electrically coupled to the light source module through the use of wires or other conduits so that the driver can power the light source module to emit light.

The junction box, the can, and other components of the recessed lighting system are attached to the hanger bars such that the hanger bars may support the components of the recessed lighting system in a wall or ceiling of a structure. For example, the junction box may be attached to the hanger bars through the use of screws and bolts, which anchor the junction box and driver.

The inventions of commonly owned U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2015/0233506 dramatically advanced the state of the art or recessed lighting systems having such components. However, opportunities for further improvement remain.

SUMMARY

The Inventors have recognized and appreciated that a hanger bar assembly directly coupled to a housing of a lighting system, such as a junction box, a can housing, a bracket, or a luminaire frame, provides several benefits to the installation of a lighting system, such as allowing the housing to be positioned in a preferred location between adjacent support structures, such as joists or beams. The direct coupling of the hanger bar assembly to the housing of the lighting system substantially reduces the added bulk and size of traditional recessed lighting systems, which can reduce both raw material costs and shipping costs.

However, the Inventors have also recognized and appreciated several shortcomings of conventional hanger bar assemblies. For example, gaps between coupled hanger bars can lead to backlash and slop, particularly when the hanger bars are extended to cover a large distance between the adjacent support structures. Additionally, the hanger bars are typically different in size; hence, conventional hanger bar holders are designed to accommodate the larger hanger bar. If the housing is installed proximate to a support structure, the hanger bars may need to be extended such that only one hanger bar is held by the hanger bar holder. If the smaller hanger bar is held in the hanger bar holder, large gaps may form between the smaller hanger bar and the hanger bar holder, leading to instabilities in the hanger bar assembly.

The present disclosure is thus directed to various inventive hanger bar assemblies that (1) interlock the hanger bars to reduce unwanted lateral backlash and slop and (2) constrain each of the hanger bars to the hanger bar holder to reduce unwanted lateral movement between the hanger bars and the hanger bar holder.

In one example, a hanger bar assembly includes a first hanger bar having a first interlocking structure, a second hanger bar having a second interlocking structure to interlock with the first hanger bar, and a hanger bar holder to hold at least one of the first hanger bar or the second hanger bar. The second hanger bar is mechanically coupled to the first hanger bar such that the second hanger bar slides relative to the first hanger bar in a telescopic manner along a first axis. The first interlocking structure constrains lateral movement of the second hanger bar relative to the first hanger bar along a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis, perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis. The hanger bar holder further includes a frame comprising a first section to guide at least the first hanger bar through the hanger bar holder along the first axis and constrain lateral movement of the first hanger bar relative to the hanger bar holder along the second axis and the third axis. The frame also includes a second section to guide at least the second hanger bar through the hanger bar holder along the first axis and constrain lateral movement of the second hanger bar relative to the hanger bar holder along the second axis and the third axis. The frame also forms a passageway that partially surrounds the first hanger bar and the second hanger bar.

It should be appreciated that all combinations of the foregoing concepts and additional concepts discussed in greater detail below (provided such concepts are not mutually inconsistent) are contemplated as being part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter appearing at the end of this disclosure are contemplated as being part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. It should also be appreciated that terminology explicitly employed herein that also may appear in any disclosure incorporated by reference should be accorded a meaning most consistent with the particular concepts disclosed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The skilled artisan will understand that the drawings primarily are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale; in some instances, various aspects of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein may be shown exaggerated or enlarged in the drawings to facilitate an understanding of different features. In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to like features (e.g., functionally similar and/or structurally similar elements).

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a recessed lighting system according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows how the junction box and hanger holders can be moved and positioned horizontally along hanger bars and vertically along the axis Y according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a hanger bar assembly with a pair of hanger bars and a hanger bar holder.

FIG. 4A is a front view of another exemplary hanger bar assembly with a pair of hanger bars and a hanger bar holder, according to some inventive implementations of the disclosure.

FIG. 4B is a front view of the hanger bars of FIG. 4A detailing the curve used to define the cross-sectional shape of the hanger bars.

FIG. 4C is a front view of the hanger bars of FIG. 4A detailing several planes of antisymmetry when the hanger bars are assembled together.

FIG. 4D is another view of the hanger bars of FIG. 4A showing subdivisions in the hanger bar holder.

FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of the hanger bar assembly of FIG. 4A where the first hanger bar and the second hanger bar are disposed within the hanger bar holder.

FIG. 5B shows a perspective view of the hanger bar assembly of FIG. 4A where the first hanger bar is positioned such that the first hanger bar no longer is disposed within the hanger bar holder.

FIG. 5C shows a magnified view of the hanger bar holder of FIG. 5A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present embodiments will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, which are provided as illustrative examples of the embodiments so as to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments and alternatives apparent to those skilled in the art. Notably, the figures and examples below are not meant to limit the scope of the present embodiments to a single embodiment, but other embodiments are possible by way of interchange of some or all of the described or illustrated elements. Moreover, where certain elements of the present embodiments can be partially or fully implemented using known components, only those portions of such known components that are necessary for an understanding of the present embodiments will be described, and detailed descriptions of other portions of such known components will be omitted so as not to obscure the present embodiments. In the present specification, an embodiment showing a singular component should not be considered limiting; rather, the present disclosure is intended to encompass other embodiments including a plurality of the same component, and vice-versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. Moreover, applicants do not intend for any term in the specification or claims to be ascribed an uncommon or special meaning unless explicitly set forth as such. Further, the present embodiments encompass present and future known equivalents to the known components referred to herein by way of illustration.

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an example recessed lighting system 1. The recessed lighting system 1 may include a junction box 2, a unified casting 3, a trim 4, a set of hanger bars 5, and a set of hanger holders 6. In some embodiments, the unified casting 3 may include a light source module and a driver in a single compact unit. As will be described in further detail below, the recessed lighting system 1 provides a more compact and cost effective design that allows the light source module 3 to be moved and adjusted while complying with various building and safety codes/regulations. Each of the elements of the recessed lighting system 1 will be explained by way of example below.

The junction box 2 is a structure that separates the inner components of the recessed lighting system 1, including electrical wires/cables, from the items inside a ceiling or crawl space (e.g., insulation) in which the junction box 2 has been installed. In one embodiment, the junction box 2 may be a single or double gang box with a fire rating of up to two hours as described in the National Electrical Code (NEC) and by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL). The junction box 2 may receive electrical wires 9A from an electrical system (e.g., 120 VAC or 277 VAC) within a building or structure in which the recessed lighting system 1 is installed. The electrical wires 9A from the structure may be connected to corresponding wires 9B of the unified casting 3.

Although shown in FIG. 1 as a standard “2×2” junction box, the junction box 2 may be implemented by an outer casing such as that described in co-pending U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2016/0312987, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The casting 3 is a shell and/or enclosure that further prevents the exposure of heat from the light source module and the driver to the items inside a ceiling or crawl space (e.g., insulation) in which the recessed lighting system 1 has been installed. An example light source module and driver that can be housed in a casting 3 used in system 1 is described in more detail in co-pending U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2015/0009676, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

In one embodiment, the electrical wires 9A received by the junction box 2 from the electrical system of a building or structure may be coupled to the electrical wires 9B of the casting 3. As shown, the electrical wires 9A and 9B are connected together through the use of interlocking connectors that may be contained within the box 2 (together with the casting 3). However, in other embodiments, the electrical wires 9A may be coupled to the electrical wires 9B through the use of electrical caps or other devices, and that may be kept outside the box 2 (while the casting 3 is retained inside). The electrical wires 9B of the casting 3 may terminate in a connection with the driver 8 installed within the casting 3. When the wires 9A and 9B are connected, electricity may pass from the electrical system of the building or structure to the driver to enable the driver to power the light source module.

In one embodiment, the recessed lighting system 1 may include a trim 4. The trim 4 serves the primary purpose of covering the exposed edge of the ceiling or wall where a hole is formed in which the recessed lighting system 1 resides while still allowing light from the light source module 3 to be emitted into a room through an aperture 15. In doing so, the trim 4 helps the recessed lighting system 1 appear seamlessly integrated into the ceiling or wall. In one embodiment, the trim 4 is to be attached to the casting 3 while in other embodiments the trim 4 is to be attached to the junction box 2. The trim 4 may couple to the casting 3 and/or the junction box 2 using any connecting mechanism, including resins, clips, screws, bolts, or clamps. In one embodiment, the trim 4 may include grooves and/or slots to couple to corresponding grooves and/or slots of the casting 3 and/or the junction box 2 using a twist-and-lock friction connection and without the use of separate tools or other devices.

In one embodiment, the recessed lighting system 1 may include a set of hanger bars 5 as shown in FIG. 1. The hanger bars 5 may be rigid, elongated members that are connected between adjacent joists and/or beams in the walls or ceilings of a structure (See FIG. 2). In one embodiment, each of the hanger bars 5 may be telescoping such that each hanger bar 5 may be extended or retracted to meet the gap between the joists and/or beams. In this embodiment, each hanger bar 5 may include an inner bar element 16A and an outer bar element 16B. The inner bar element 16A may be inserted and then held inside a railing structure 17 formed on the outer bar element 16B. In this configuration, the inner bar element 16A may slide in relation to the outer bar element 16B to vary the total length of each hanger bar 5. In one embodiment, the railing structure 17 within the outer bar element 16B may be formed by a set of guides. The guides may be bent pieces of the outer bar element 16B or tabs that are coupled to the outer bar element 16B. In this fashion, the railing structure 17 forms a channel for the inner bar element 16A.

In one embodiment, each of the hanger bars 5 may include a set of mounting blocks 19. The mounting blocks 19 may be used to couple the hanger bars 5 to the joists and/or beams in the walls or ceilings of a structure. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the mounting blocks 19 may include holes for receiving screws and/or nails or other fasteners that enable the hanger bars 5 to be securely attached to a building structure. Although shown in FIG. 1 and described above in relation to holes and screws, in other embodiments, other mechanisms of attachment may be used in conjunction with the mounting blocks 19, including resins, clips, or clamps to attached the bars 5 to the building structure. In one embodiment, the mounting blocks 19 may be integrated in one indivisible structure along with the inner bar element 16A and the outer bar element 16B, while in other embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1, the mounting blocks 19 may be coupled to the inner bar element 16A and the outer bar element 16B through the use of one or more attachment mechanisms (e.g., screws, bolts, resins, clips, or clamps). Using the above telescoping and mounting features, the recessed lighting system 1 may be installed in almost all the 2″×2″ through 2″×16″ wood joist constructions, metal stud constructions, and t-bar ceiling constructions.

In one embodiment, the recessed lighting system 1 may include a set of hanger holders 6. The hanger holders 6 may be configured to slide or otherwise move along corresponding hanger bars 5. In one embodiment, the hanger holders 6 may include an attachment mechanism 21 for coupling with the junction box 2. The attachment mechanism 21 may be any mechanism that allows the junction box 2 to be removably connected to the hanger bars 5. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the attachment mechanism 21 may be a hole that is to receive a screw or bolt therein. However, in other embodiments, the attachment mechanism 21 may include resins, clips, and/or clamps that allow the hanger holders 6 to be coupled to the junction box 2. By being coupled to the hanger holders 6, the junction box 2, along with the light source module and the driver therein, may be moved across the hanger bars 5 to a desired location as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, during installation of the recessed lighting system 1, the hanger bars 5 may be installed inside a gap between beams within a structure by affixing the mounting blocks 19 to the beams, and then the junction box 2, along with the light source module 7 and the driver 8 therein, may be moved by the installer to a desired location along the hanger bars 5 and within the gap.

According to certain aspects, the hanger holders 6 described above allow the junction box 2 to be moved in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the hanger bars 5. Accordingly, the junction box 2 may be moved to a preferred location between a set of joists or beams in a structure before being locked into position using the mechanism 21. By being configured such that the junction box 2, along with the light source module and the driver therein, is coupled to a unified set of moveable elements that assist in positioning the combined structure, the recessed lighting system 1 eliminates the added bulk and size of traditional recessed lighting systems. This compact design provides an affordable design by cutting the cost of raw materials and other components and reduces shipping costs by reducing bulk.

Although the hangar bars 5 and hanger holders 6 described in connection with the lighting system 1 above provide many advantages over traditional recessed lighting systems, the present applicant has recognized that certain opportunities for improvement still exist.

For example, FIG. 3 is a front view of an exemplary hanger bar assembly 100 of hanger bars 5 and a hanger holder 6 such as those components illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As described above, and as shown in FIG. 3, hanger bars 5 and hanger holders 6 are made in a way that one of the bars 16B slides telescopically over the other bar 16A to adjust to a variety of joist spacings. The holder 6 is normally made to cover the larger of the two pieces (16B) to allow the lateral motion of the junction box (not shown). When the joist spacing is large (for example, larger than 16 inches), any gap between the sliding pieces 16A, 16B creates a vertical backlash and slop in the junction box. Also, if the junction box has to be installed close to a joist, and the holder 6 is therefore located only on one of the pieces such as 16A due to the telescopic extension between pieces 16A and 16B, there would be a large gap between hanger bar 5 and holder 6 at piece 16A, which would lead to instability.

FIG. 4A is a front view of a hanger bar assembly 200, according to some inventive implementations of the disclosure. As shown, the hanger bar assembly 200 may include a first hanger bar 66A, a second hanger bar 66B, and a hanger bar holder 56. The first hanger bar 66A may be mechanically coupled to the second hanger bar 66B such that the first hanger bar 66A slides relative to the second hanger bar 66B in a telescopic manner along a first axis. The hanger bar holder 56 may be used to hold at least one of the first hanger bar 66A or the second hanger bar 66B such that the first hanger bar 66A and/or the second hanger bar 66B slides in a telescopic manner relative to the bar hanger holder 56 along the first axis. The hanger bar holder 56 may also be used to couple the hanger bar assembly 200 to various housings of a lighting system (not shown) for assembly and installation including, but not limited to, a junction box, a can housing, a luminaire frame, or a bracket.

The first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may each be a rail-like structure that couples together such that the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may slide relative to one another along the first axis. The first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may thus be extended or retracted to accommodate various spacings between support structures (e.g., joists), which are used for attachment during installation of a lighting system coupled to the hanger bar assembly 200. As shown in FIG. 4A, the first hanger bar 66A may have a cross-sectional shape with a substantially uniform thickness. A uniform thickness can improve ease of manufacturing by allowing the first hanger bar 66A to be formed from a sheet of material. For example, the first hanger bar 66A may be manufactured by bending a metallic sheet such that the desired rail-like structure is formed. In some implementations, the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may each have a thickness substantially equal to each other.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the cross-sectional shape of the first hanger bar 66A may be based, in part, on a curve 74A with a first endpoint 76A and a second endpoint 77A. A first tangent vector corresponding to the first endpoint 76A defines the orientation of the surface of the first hanger bar 66A at the first endpoint 76A. Similarly, a second tangent vector corresponding to the second endpoint 77A defines the orientation of the surface of the first hanger bar 66A at the second endpoint 77A. The relative angle between first tangent vector and the second vector may vary between about 0 degrees (e.g., the first tangent vector and the second tangent vector are parallel) to about 90 degrees (e.g., the first tangent vector and the second tangent vector are perpendicular).

The cross-sectional shape of the first hanger bar 66A may include an interior passageway 68A designed to accommodate an interlocking structure 75B of the second hanger bar 66B, which will be discussed in greater detail below. The second hanger bar 66B may similarly include an interior passageway 68B to accommodate an interlocking structure 75A of the first hanger bar 66A. Mechanical stops 70A and 72A may also be disposed at opposing ends of the first hanger bar 66A along the first axis. The second hanger bar 66B may similarly include mechanical stops 70B and 72B disposed at opposing ends of the second hanger bar 66B along the first axis. The mechanical stops 70A, 72A, 70B, and 72B may provide a mechanical barrier to prevent the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B from separating, especially when the first hanger bar 66A is fully extended from the second hanger bar 66B. For example, mechanical stop 70A may physically contact mechanical stop 72B. Similarly, mechanical stop 70B may physically contact 72A.

The first hanger bar 66A may include the interlocking structure 75A, which is used to interlock the first hanger bar 66A with the second hanger 66B. The interlocking structure 75A reduces unwanted lateral motion (e.g., lateral backlash or slop) between the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B, which can improve the structural stability of the hanger bar assembly 200, particularly when the first hanger bar 66A is fully extended from the second hanger bar 66B such that a small portion of the first hanger bar 66A overlaps with the second hanger bar 66B. As an exemplary reference coordinate system, the first axis may correspond to a horizontal axis of motion; hence, lateral motion between the hanger bars 66A and 66B may be reduced along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis (e.g., horizontal lateral motion) and a third axis perpendicular to both the first axis and the second axis (e.g., vertical lateral motion). The reduction in unwanted lateral motion may be accomplished, in part, by the interlocking structure 75A having structural features that physically contact multiple locations along the second hanger bar 66B such that movement along the second axis and the third axis between the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B is restricted. The interlocking structure 75A may be integrated into the hanger bar 66A such that the first hanger bar 66A is a single continuous structure. The second hanger bar 66B may similarly include the interlocking structure 75B, which may also be used to interlock the second hanger bar 66B with the first hanger bar 66A.

For example, FIG. 4A shows the interlocking structure 75A may have a C-shaped cross-section disposed primarily within the interior passageway 68B of the second hanger bar 66B. The interlocking structure 75A includes several areas that physically contact the interior walls of the second hanger bar 66B within the interior passageway 68B, thereby restricting unwanted lateral motion along the second axis and the third axis. The second hanger bar 66B may similarly include the interlocking structure 75B, which may also have a C-shaped cross-section disposed primarily within the interior passageway 68A of the first hanger bar 66A. It should be appreciated that the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may be interlocked using at least one of the interlocking structures 75A or 75B. However, the use of both interlocking structures 75A and 75B may further improve structural stability of the hanger bar assembly 200 by increasing the number of areas where the first hanger bar 66A physically contacts the second hanger bar 66B.

The first hanger bar 66A physically contacts the second hanger bar 66B through the respective interlocking structures 75A and 75B, respectively, and/or other areas of the first hanger bar 66A that may abut the second hanger bar 66B without necessarily providing mechanical constraint to lateral motion. In some implementations, the first hanger bar 66A and/or the second hanger bar 66B may be shaped and dimensioned to generate a frictional force between the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B along the respective regions where physical contact occurs. The frictional force may be used, in part, to maintain a relative position between the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B. For example, a user may apply a force to adjust the relative position of the first hanger bar 66A to the second hanger bar 66B during installation. The frictional force may be tailored to be sufficiently large such that once the user is no longer applying a force to the hanger bar assembly 200, the relative position between the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B is maintained.

In some implementations, the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may be substantially identical or identical in shape and/or dimension. For such cases, the assembly of the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B results in a cross-sectional geometry that may include at least one plane of symmetry and/or one plane of antisymmetry. For example, FIG. 4C shows the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B, when assembled, may include at least two planes of antisymmetry, e.g., plane 202A and plane 202B.

Various metals and plastics may be used to form the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B including, but not limited to, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, polyethylene, or any other materials known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Depending on the materials used to form the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B, various manufacturing techniques may be used to fabricate the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B including, but not limited to, bending a sheet to form a desired cross-sectional shape, or extruding material through a mold where the mold defines a desired cross-sectional shape.

The hanger bar assembly 200 may also include the hanger bar holder 56 to hold at least one of the first hanger bar 66A or the second hanger bar 66B. The hanger bar holder 56 may be used to guide the first hanger bar 66A and/or the second hanger bar 66B in a telescopic manner while providing a mechanical attachment to a housing of a lighting system as described above (e.g., a junction box, a can housing). The hanger bar holder 56 may include a frame 58 that forms a passageway 82 that partially surrounds the first hanger bar 66A and/or the second hanger bar 66B. In some implementations, the frame 58 may include an opening 84 that abuts the passageway 82. The opening 84 may span the length of the hanger bar holder 56 parallel to the first axis. The inclusion of the opening 84 improves manufacturability since a fully enclosed passageway 82 is more difficult to fabricate. Additionally, the inclusion of intermediate structural features (e.g., walls 86 in the hanger bar holder 56 as shown in FIG. 4D), would require additional, more complex manufacturing processes, which increases the time and cost to manufacture the hanger bar holder 56.

The frame 58 may have a cross-sectional shape with a substantially uniform thickness. Similar to the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B, a cross-section with a uniform thickness can improve ease of manufacturing by allowing the hanger bar holder 56 to be formed from a sheet. In some implementations, the thickness of the frame 58 may be substantially equal to the respective thicknesses of the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B, thus allowing the hanger bar holder 56, the first hanger bar 66A, and the second hanger bar 66B to all be fabricated from the same sheet of material.

In some implementations, the hanger bar holder 56 may be subdivided into several sections according to their function in the bar hanger assembly 200. For example, FIG. 4D shows the hanger bar holder 56 may be subdivided into a first section 80A, a second section 80B, and a third section 80C. The first section 80A may be used to guide at least the first hanger bar 66A through the hanger bar holder 56 along the first axis. The first section 80A may also be used to constrain lateral movement of the first hanger bar 66A relative to the hanger bar holder 56 along the second axis and the third axis defined above. The second section 80B may be similar to the first section 80A in that the second section 80B may be used to both guide the second hanger bar 66B through the hanger bar holder 56 along the first axis and constrain lateral movement of the second hanger bar 66B. The third section 80C may be used to facilitate coupling of the hanger bar holder 56 to a housing of a lighting system, as will be discussed below.

In some implementations, the first section 80A of the frame 58 forms a first track that only guides the first hanger bar 66A and the second section 80B of the frame 58 forms a second track that only guides the second hanger bar 66B. For example, FIG. 4C shows that only the first section 80A physically contacts the first hanger bar 66A. Similarly, only the second section 80B physically contacts the second hanger bar 66B. As shown, the intermediate walls 86 may overlap between the first section 80A and the second section 80B; however, a first side of the intermediate walls 86 only contacts the first hanger bar 66A and a second side of the intermediate walls 86 only contacts the second hanger bar 66B.

In some implementations, the hanger bar holder 56 may constrain the lateral motion of the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger 66B independently from one another such that the hanger bar holder 56 may hold only one of the first hanger bar 66A or the second hanger 66B without affecting the constraints imposed to reduce lateral movement. For example, the hanger bar holder 56 may be disposed near a first support structure. In order to reach an adjacent second support structure, the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may need to be fully extended such that only one of the first hanger bar 66A or second hanger bar 66B is held within the hanger bar holder 56. As described above, a large gap is typically formed between a conventional hanger bar holder and a conventional hanger bar resulting in instability in the hanger bar assembly. By independently constraining the lateral motion of the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B, the hanger bar holder 56 can substantially reduce such instabilities.

The hanger bar holder 56 may have a length, parallel to the first axis, that covers a portion of the first hanger bar 66A and/or the second hanger bar 66B. Additionally, the hanger bar holder 56 may include different portions that each have a different length. For example, FIG. 5C shows a perspective view of the hanger bar holder 56. As shown, a portion 88A, corresponding to the first section 80A, may have a shorter length when compared to a portion 88B, corresponding to the second section 80B, which spans the length of the hanger bar holder 56. The inclusion of variable length portions in the hanger bar holder 56 may allow for multiple support structures to be formed along the length of the hanger bar holder 56. For example, the portion 88A may be used to form the first section 80A that contacts and guides the first hanger bar 66A while the portion 88B allows the intermediate walls 86 to be formed to contact and guide both the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B. Additionally, the use of variable length portions may also reduce the amount of material used to manufacture the hanger bar holder 56.

The hanger bar holder 56 may be a single, continuous structure, which further improves the ease of manufacture. It should be appreciated that the hanger bar holder 56 in the present disclosure does not require additional structural features for assembly and/or adjustment of the hanger bar assembly 200 as is found in conventional hangar bar holder structures. For example, the hanger bar holder 56 does not have to be significantly foldable and/or bendable. In another example, the hanger bar holder 56 does not need to include a hinge. In yet another example, the hanger bar holder 56 does not need to include a snap and/or a snap catch to surround the first hanger bar 66A and/or the second hanger bar 66B.

As described above, the third section 80C may be used to facilitate coupling of the hanger bar holder 56 to a housing of a lighting system. In some implementations, the hanger bar holder 56 may be integrated into the housing of the lighting system (e.g., the hanger bar holder is integrated onto a sheet metal frame of a luminaire housing). The third section 80C may include at least one coupling mechanism to mechanically couple the hanger bar holder 56 to a housing, which again may include, but is not limited to, a junction box, a can housing, a bracket, or a luminaire frame. Various types of coupling mechanisms may be used including, but not limited to, a screw fastener or a rivet. For example, FIG. 5C shows the hanger bar holder 56 has two coupling mechanisms 90, which in this case, are screw holes to receive a corresponding screw fastener.

The coupling mechanism may also include a stud (i.e., a protruding rod). The stud may be inserted into a slot on the housing of the lighting system such that the stud is adjustable along the slot. The slot may be oriented along at least one of the second axis or the third axis. For example, a slot oriented along the third axis would allow the hanger bar assembly 200 to be adjustable along a vertical axis if the first axis is a horizontal axis. Once inserted, the stud may be secured from the opposite side by another fastener (e.g., a wing screw) to secure the hanger bar assembly 200 to a desired position along the slot on the housing.

In some implementations, the third section 80C may jut away from the first section 80A and the second section 80B to form a clearance 92 between the frame 58 of the hanger bar holder 56 and the second hanger bar 66B. In some implementations, the clearance 92 may instead be formed between the hanger bar holder 56 and the first hanger bar 66A. The clearance 92 may provide space to accommodate at least a portion of the coupling mechanism 90. For example, the clearance 90 may contain the head of a screw fastener, which is coupled to the housing of the lighting system prior to insertion of the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B into the passageway 82 of the hanger bar holder 56.

Various metals and plastics may be used to form the hanger bar holder 56 including, but not limited to, aluminum, carbon steel, stainless steel, polyethylene, or any other materials known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Depending on the materials used to form the hanger bar holder 56, various manufacturing techniques may be used for fabrication including, but not limited to, bending a sheet to form a desired cross-sectional shape for the frame 58, or extruding material through a mold where the mold defines a desired cross-sectional shape for the frame 58.

FIG. 5A shows a perspective view of the hanger bar assembly 200 where the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger are 66B are held by the hanger bar holder 56. As shown, the hanger bar holder 56 may hold the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B independently. Additionally, the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may be interlocked using the interlocking structures 75A and 75B (not shown). As shown, the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B may be extended to traverse a large spacing between the support structure. Structural stability is preserved due, in part, to the interlocking structures 75A and 75B, which prevents gaps between the first hanger bar 66A and the second hanger bar 66B from causing backlash and slop.

FIG. 5B shows a perspective view of the hanger bar assembly 200 where the hanger bar holder 56 (which may be attached to a housing of a lighting system) is disposed proximate to a support structure (not shown) such that only the first hanger bar 66A is held by the hanger bar holder 56 while the second hanger bar 66B is fully extended to cover the spacing between adjacent support structures. As described above, the first section 80A of the hanger bar holder 56 may constrain unwanted lateral movement between the first hanger bar 66A and the hanger bar holder 56. In this manner, the hanger bar holder 56 may stably support the first hanger bar 66A during installation and/or adjustment of the hanger bar assembly 200.

It should be appreciated that the first hanger bar 66A, the second hanger bar 66B, and the hanger bar holder 56 may include many of the same features described above in connection with bars 5 and holder 6, such as fastening mechanisms 21 and mounting blocks 19. However, repeated descriptions of these components are omitted here for sake of clarity of the present embodiments.

CONCLUSION

While various inventive implementations have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the inventive implementations described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary inventive features and that other equivalents to the specific inventive implementations described herein may be realized. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing implementations are presented by way of example and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive implementations may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive implementations of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

Also, various inventive concepts may be embodied as one or more methods, of which an example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, implementations may be constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously, even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative implementations.

All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”

The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one implementation, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another implementation, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another implementation, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one implementation, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another implementation, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another implementation, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03. 

1. A hanger bar assembly (200), comprising: a first hanger bar (66A) having a first interlocking structure (75A); a second hanger bar (66B) having a second interlocking structure (75B) to interlock with the first hanger bar, the second hanger bar being mechanically coupled to the first hanger bar such that the second hanger bar slides relative to the first hanger bar in a telescopic manner along a first axis; and a hanger bar holder (56) to hold at least one of the first hanger bar or the second hanger bar, wherein: the first interlocking structure constrains lateral movement of the second hanger bar relative to the first hanger bar along a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis, perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis; the second interlocking structure constrains lateral movement of the first hanger bar to the second hanger bar along the second axis and the third axis; the hanger bar holder includes a frame (58) comprising: a first section (80A) to guide at least the first hanger bar through the hanger bar holder along the first axis and constrain lateral movement of the first hanger bar relative to the hanger bar holder along the second axis and the third axis; and a second section (80B) to guide at least the second hanger bar through the hanger bar holder along the first axis and constrain lateral movement of the second hanger bar relative to the hanger bar holder along the second axis and the third axis, wherein: the frame partially surrounds the first hanger bar and the second hanger bar so as to form a passageway (82) for the first hanger bar and the second hanger bar; the hanger bar holder has a length along the first axis; and at least a portion of the first section of the frame and the second section of the frame are overlapping along at least a portion of the length of the hanger bar holder. 